grandi classici

Cacio e pepe is an iconic Roman pasta. The secret to the dish is in the 'cremina'' cheesy sauce: from saucy and luscious to dense and dry.

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti 

spaghetti

4OZ. Pecorino Romano

salt

black peppercorns

Bring water to a boil in a large pot and season with salt. Add the <a href="https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/glossary/spaghetti-pasta" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spaghetti</a> and cook until al dente.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, grate the <a href="https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/glossary/pecorino-cheese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pecorino</a> Romano to a fine powder and grind plenty of black pepper in a serving bowl, where you will toss the pasta.

Drain the spaghetti reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Transfer to the bowl with 2 small ladles of cooking water (around 1/2 cup) to help melt the cheese and create the sauce. Immediately add the Pecorino Romano, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon until the cheese is completely melted.

Top with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper to taste and serve immediately&nbsp;

Cassata is a Sicilian cake made from sweetened ricotta, layered with slices of liqueur soaked sponge cake covered in green almond paste and decorated with candied fruit. To say it is decadent is an understatement. 

Cassata

25OZ. sheep's milk ricotta

1 3/4CUPS sugar

10OZ. sponge cake

10OZ. pistachio marzipan

10OZ. fondant cake icing

candied fruit cubes

4OZ. dark chocolate, chopped

pistachio nuts

sugar

candied fruit pieces (orange, citron and cherries)

vanilla pod

lemon liqueur

orange blossom water

For the filling, mix the ricotta with 1 1/2 cups sugar, the seeds from half a vanilla bean pod, and a few drops of orange blossom water until creamy. Incorporate the chopped chocolate, 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, and the assorted candied fruit cubes.&nbsp;

Line a cake pan with plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin, roll out the marzipan between two sheets of parchment paper dusted with powdered sugar until it is around 1/8" thick. Cut out strips as long as the cake pan is high. Use these strips to line the inside of the cake pan (you’ll have some scraps left over).

Cut the sponge cake into 1/2" thick slices and line the bottom of the cake pan with them.&nbsp;

Bring 1/3 cup water to a boil with 1/4 cup sugar and, if desired, a lemon peel or a piece of a vanilla bean pod and 2 Tbsp. lemon liqueur. Let cool, then lightly brush the sponge cake with this mixture. Pour the filling into the cake pan, cover with other sponge cake slices. Press down gently, and brush with the liqueur mixture. Fold the plastic wrap over the cassata and chill in the fridge for 4-8 hours.

Melt the fondant sugar over low heat, then remove from the heat; stir continuously until you obtain a fluid mixture that drizzles off the spoon. Remove the cassata from the fridge; and turn it out onto a serving dish; pour the cooled fondant sugar on the center. Using a spatula, spread it evenly over the entire surface. Place it back in the fridge for another hour to set. Decorate the top with candied cherries, orange slices, and citron.

Who doesn't love frico? This hearty recipe of grated potatoes and melted Alpine cheese from Friuli Venezia Giulia was created as a way to 'save' left-over Montasio PDO. Serve over radicchio salad as a side or appetizer. 

Soft Frico With Potatoes

potatoes

5OZ. aged Montasio PDO cheese, grated

5OZ. fresh Montasio PDO cheese, grated

radicchio

vinegar

olive oil

1/3CUP cornmeal

Clean the radicchio and dress with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar to taste.&nbsp;

Coarsely grate the potatoes and place in a large frying pan (ø 12") with a little bit of oil and a pinch of salt. Cook over high heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat and add the cheese a little at a time to form the frico. As the cheese melts, turn the edges over toward the center. Flatten in the pan and wait for a crust to form. Flip over (sprinkle with cornmeal) and let brown, flip again and sprinkle the other side with cornmeal. Repeat several times until golden and crisp.

Cut into wedges and serve warm over the radicchio salad.&nbsp;

No Neapolitan Easter meal would be complete without pastiera on the table. Whole wheat berries are cooked in milk until creamy and mixed with ricotta, sugar, eggs, candied citrus and orange blossom essence for the filling. It is absolutely intoxicating. 

Pastiera Napoletana (Traditional Neapolitan Cake)

4CUPS all-purpose flour

lard

1 2/3CUPS sugar

eggs

2CUPS milk

21OZ. sheep’s milk ricotta cheese

wheat berries

citron and orange, diced

vanillin

orange blossom extract

lemon

cinnamon

orange

Cook wheat berries in boiling water for 2 hours. Drain and cook with milk and 1 tsp. cinnamon, a little orange zest and 1/2 vanilla pod until the milk is absorbed (around 15 minutes); alternatively you can use 1 lb. pre-cooked wheat berries (grano cotto); heat in 1 cup milk along with the other ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Let cool.&nbsp;

In a large bowl mix flour, lard, 2/3 cup sugar and a pinch of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add 2 eggs and mix with your hands until combined. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Place in the refrigerator in a bowl sealed with plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes.&nbsp;

Preheat the oven to 340 °F.&nbsp;

Mix the ricotta with the rest of the sugar, adding it a little at a time. Separate 2 eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat yolks with the ricotta mixture. Add 4 whole eggs, one at a time, and whisk until incorporated. Add a little lemon and orange zest, candied fruit and 2 Tbsp. orange blossom water.&nbsp;

Remove the vanilla pod from the cooked wheat. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the ricotta mixture along with the cooked wheat. For a creamier filling purée some of the cooked wheat berries.&nbsp;

Grease and flour a cake pan (ø 10", h 2 1/2".), preferably a springform pan. Roll out about 2/3 of the dough on a floured surface until it is about 1/4" thick. Place in the springform pan. Cut off any overhang to add to the remaining dough. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 10 strips around 1" wide. Fill the dough with the ricotta mixture. Lay the pastry dough strips across the top in a criss-cross diamond pattern. Press the strips gently to adhere on the edge of the pastry. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 8 hours in a dry place.

Learn the three traditional ways that artichokes are made in Lazio: alla romana (Roman style), alla giudia (Jewish style) and fritti (fried). 

Artichokes Three Ways: alla Romana, alla Giudia and Fried

artichokes

all-purpose flour

garlic

parsley

mint

peanut oil

pepper

Artichokes alla Romana: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a bowl with water and halve and squeeze 2 lemons into it. Trim and clean all artichokes. Transfer cleaned artichokes to bowl of lemon water as you go. Mince 2 cups parsley, 5 mint leaves and 1 garlic clove. Put them all in a bowl and season with 2 Tbsp. oil, salt and pepper to taste. With a melon baller, remove the chokes from 4 artichokes. Stuff with minced herbs and set them, upside down, next to each other in a tall baking dish (5 1/2" across). Sprinkle with salt and cover with 1 part water to 2 parts olive oil. Bake for around 1 hour.

Artichokes alla Giudia: &nbsp;Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Open 4 artichokes like flowers by gently opening the leaves and pressing them as flat as possible. Dry them, season the insides with salt and pepper. Fry for 10 minutes in enough olive oil to cover them halfway. Turn over and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve.&nbsp;

Fried Artichokes: Bring peanut oil to 350°F over medium-high heat. Beat the eggs with 2 Tbsp. oil, 2 Tbsp. flour, salt and pepper. Cut the remaining artichokes into 4 wedges, dip them in the batter and fry for 3 minutes.

Serve one piece of each preparation per person. Serve hot.&nbsp;

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Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

Cassata

Soft Frico With Potatoes

Pastiera Napoletana (Traditional Ne...

Artichokes Three Ways: alla Romana,...

Top 5 grandi classici recipes from across the web

The most viewed grandi classici recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

Cassata

Soft Frico With Potatoes

Pastiera Napoletana (Traditional Ne...

Artichokes Three Ways: alla Romana,...

The most viewed grandi classici recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine